Soul Burgers is the new dish bound to have everybody dropping them other burgers.

By Brian W. Carter, Sentinel Staff Writer

There are burgers. Then there are Soul Burgers. And there is nothing quite like a Soul Burger. There is nothing like the Tasty Turkey Combo Burger or the Luscious Yam Burger, that’s right, yams on a burger! These mighty, mouthfuls are the creation of entertainer and songstress, Toni “Wynell” Malone.

Malone has been an entertainer for the past 30 years. She has traveled all over performing with well-known artists. She previously had a restaurant 25 years ago, a soul food restaurant, called Wynell’s but she closed it down to start a one-woman show entitled, “It’s All About Love.”

“After I went to Vegas to do a show, two years ago, I decided to start back my restaurant,” said Malone. Back when she had her first restaurant and traveling with artists, Malone came up with the concept of the Soul Burger. “One day, I decided to put some soul food items on it because I was in a rush with my schedule.”

She started cooking the unique burger on the road for entertainers like the Whispers, Barry White, and others. “They all requested for me to fix the burgers. So even though we closed the restaurant, I continued to fix the burgers. Every time I came home, my friends and family would still request the burgers.”

What started as two different burgers multiplied into 13 burgers, all with their own style, flavor and soul. All soul burgers are prepared with a turkey patty on a toasted sesame seed bun. The burger takes on a whole other dimension when additions like greens, yams, dressing, cranberry sauce, gravy and a fried egg are added.

Malone was selling the burgers from her house and quickly needed a venue because customers were piling up. “I took my own savings, stepped out on faith and did it myself,” said Malone. “The concept, like any culture has its own way of eating, we as people have been eating greens, yams and dressing all our lives.”

Soul Burgers is fresh off it’s opening as of this June and took part in Taste of Soul (TOS). “The line was wrapped down the street all day,” says Malone about her TOS experience.

Soul Burgers are healthy using fresh ingredients supplied everyday. Homemade cooked sides are prepared with ground turkey and turkey bacon instead of beef and pork. “The reason I don’t use beef is there’s a recall every three months, it’s not good for your digestive system and not good for high blood pressure,” said Malone. “I’m trying to do it a little healthier.” Malone even gives the ‘soul’ treatment to her very own Healthy Veggie Burger, which is sure to appeal to the vegetarian lovers.

Soul Burger has a lot of soul because it’s run by a family that loves each other. Malone’s son, Juvon said, “It’s a blast for me because I work with my mom and I interact with people at Soul Burger.” He is the face you see when you come to Soul Burger along with his mother. He makes sure that everything is running, as it should at the restaurant. “I help her a lot with the business portion of it too.”

“This is an alternative to food now. It’s a different option. It’s another way to figure out, ‘Do I want something fast? Or do I want to sit down and eat?’ These two genres are food put together…it’s just another option,” said Juvon

“Keep an open mind and let your taste buds decide,” said Malone. Let your taste buds decide whether it likes the Tender Greens Burger or the James Brown Soul Burger, or will your favorite be the Flaming Fish Burger? That’s up to you. Check them out today!

Soul Burgers is located on 1035 S. Prairie Ave in Inglewood, CA. For more information, you can contact them at (310) 419-SOUL (7685).